Some alcoholic drinks more acceptable than others

[Wellhellotherelove]

Why is it more acceptable to talk about having a ‘cheeky glass of wine’ or to have things around the house talking about how great gin is, but you wouldn’t really see the same for cider, vodka, a rum and Coke?

Thinking about the days pre covid when I’d quite often be at ‘work drinks’ most weeks and without fail, despite a whole pub’s worth of drinks, everyone would either be drinking beer (mostly the men), wine or gin and tonic.

I cannot ever think of or imagine someone saying ‘a vodka and coke please’ - but why??

You’re just as likely to get smashed on wine or gin as you are on rum, cider etc.

I see women on social media who for the most part try and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle yet quite often will have a photo of them with a large glass of wine. It’s never seen as a problem.

I’m not tee total by any means, so this isn’t a judgey post (i love a g&t!) I am genuinely interested as to how certain drinks have become more acceptable and how someone posting about having a cheek wine every evening is not seen as anything unusual!

@KathleenTurnerOverdrive

One of the highest rising drink categories at the moment though is adult soft drinks.

That alcohol free faux gin that they sell for £30 a bottle even though there's no tax on it? If they can get folk to buy that. Some folk would set fire to a 50 quid note and shove it up their arses, if it had artisan or small batch attached to it.

Yes true, but I was talking more about the Kombuchas, and Rose Lemonade type stuff. Soft drink that isn't Coke or J20 which is all you used to get in a lot of places.

I agree, someone saying oh tough day at work, cracked the wine open LOL is often seen as more acceptable than poured myself a whisky and coke to try and get over the crap of today. I think rum will be the next 'trendy' drink again.

Rum has been talked of as the next trendy drink for at least five years, but it has never really taken off. I think it's wishful thinking by marketeers.

I drink beer, pints when I'm in a pub and cans at home. I'm not on social media but sil often sends me a picture of her gin or wine. Sending a picture of my beer is just not the same. Sometimes I wish I liked gin, wine, prosecco as it seems more socially acceptable.

I totally agree OP. I don’t like gin, so if I go out with friends and they all have a gin cocktail, and I order a vodka and something, I get called an alcoholic. If I order a glass, or even a bottle, of wine, they don’t bat an eyelid!

DS loves Malibu, Amaretto and vodka, and isn't shy about ordering it in a work environment. He is a bit Del Boy though with his love of fancy cocktails, unusual for a 20 year old

I agree! I like most drinks but tend to drink cans of beer at home... cheaper than bottles, last longer, stay colder and not ss strong as drinking wine or spirits. I always get comments from people.
Saying that, I also used to get taken the piss out of for drinking gin in the days before it became popular.
I think people just have too much to say sometimes! Leave me alone with my can lol!

I drink bacardi and coke at home and at pubs. Several friends drink vodka and coke at home at and pubs. I didn't realise there was some weird social stigma about these drinks.

...probably because there isn't.

@MoiraNotRuby

Let's reclaim Archers and Lemonade! I had forgotten how much I loved it. I just need to get through the 50 billion bottles of gin in my cupboard first (lovely gifts, I'm not being ungrateful but....)

Oh, God, no. Nobody needs to be reminded that it was like vomiting Body Shop Fuzzy Peach perfume.

I'll stick to the decidedly unfashionable Plymouth Navy Strength Gin, thanks.

When I worked in bars (early to mid 90's) hardly anyone drank wine. We had no red, only dry and medium white. And tbh, as it was on tap from a box in the cellar, we might not have been too fussy if the boxes were the right way round. Most of it was sold as white wine and soda anyway.

It’s all marketing. Money. Fashion.

I dislike gin and wine. I like vodka and coke, which is unfashionable these days apparently.

@gottenhaitch

I drink bacardi and coke at home and at pubs. Several friends drink vodka and coke at home at and pubs. I didn't realise there was some weird social stigma about these drinks.

...probably because there isn't.

I agree, can’t think of any drinks that have a stigma except Special brew, white ciders and Buckfast.

I drink cider, you ought to see the cats bum when I admit to that

I love Malibu. Malibu and fresh orange is lovely! I also know loads of people who still drink Vodka and coke. I never ‘got’ Prosecco and much prefer Asti or Cava.

And also that Captain Morgan rum that’s all the rage was my Grandad’s drink choice about 20 years ago. I always see it as an old mans drink for that reason!

It's just fashion. Before craft gins were a thing, myself and my friends always drank vodka. To be honest, I get less hammered on vodka, lime and soda than anything else!! I think it's the hydrating effect of the soda water!!
I remember the trendy wines my parents drank in the 80s were Hock and Lambrusco. Then Chardonnay was trendy then Pinot Grigio.

I think that because gin tastes floral, it is seen as a summery, 'daytime' drink, therefore sociable and acceptable. Same as Pimms.

Can't beat a can of Diamond White to remind me of my youth. It used to come in green bottles back then.

I wonder what happened to Alcopops e.g Hooch, Two Dogs, Bacardi Breezers....

@RickJames

I don't know OP.

Personally, I hate gin but I can imagine it's just a fashion thing. In 10 years time maybe we'll have a craze for something else - moonshine, for example. That would be fun

Maybe 80s drinks like Midori and Malibu will come back in? Surely they're due a revival.

My favourite drink is a pina colada with a cocktail umbrella, although I only ever drink them on holiday (if I can find a bar tender who can make one). My mum used to have them when we went on holiday in the early 80s and I was fascinated by the colours and umbrella. I went to Fiji a few years ago and introduced an American friend to them, she now loves them and regularly posts pictures of her and her friends drinking them round the pool in California (not jealous 😁).

No, let's not make rum the next big thing. I've been into it for years and have spent a lot of time and money learning what is good and what isn't. I don't want to have my favourite drink ruined by a load of trendy alcohol brands messing about with it.

I vote with a PP for making moonshine the next big alcohol. Every bottle would come with a free pair of spoons and instructions on how to play them while doing a hodown (no idea how to spell that or even if it is the correct dance!)

All the ladies used to drink a port and lemon (ade) on Coronation street ( back in the day when Mike Baldwin was man about town )

Height of sophistication.

@AlexaRain do you also like walks in the rain?

I like dubonnet, but that's deeply unfashionable at the moment! Aperol and Campari spritzes are becoming more common though, which I like.

Aperol Spritz have been all over SM for a couple of years now. I think it goes with the holiday on the Italian Coast trend (good for Insta likes 😁). I noticed the Co-Op do a ready made Aperol Spritz too (noticed this a couple of summers ago, around the time I noticed Aperol Spritz pics all over social media).

About 18 months ago, I went to a deeply trendy bar for bottomless brunch and the drinks we were offered were G&T, Aperol Spritz and Bloody Mary. It did remind me of my hedonistic younger days (early 2000s) when I would make Bloody Marys and bacon butties for brunch, the day after a big night.